Tuscaloosa Police Department event to connect cops with residents

Sunday

Sep 22, 2013 at 11:00 PMSep 22, 2013 at 11:12 PM

Officers from the Tuscaloosa Police Department's East Precinct will sit down with community members on Sept. 30 at Belle Foods on McFarland Boulevard to answer questions, discuss community issues and talk with people in a relaxed, neutral environment.

By Molly OlmsteadSpecial to The Tuscaloosa News

Officers from the Tuscaloosa Police Department's East Precinct will sit down with community members on Sept. 30 at Belle Foods on McFarland Boulevard to answer questions, discuss community issues and talk with people in a relaxed, neutral environment. The officers hope the atmosphere of the event will be a casual one, said Sgt. Darren Beams, the outreach coordinator for the East Precinct. People who come to talk to the officers can munch on free Danishes and sip free coffee. Beams said at least four or five officers will be there, along with a criminal code book and a traffic code book to aid in answering questions.He said he expects to field some questions about issues such as community crime and criminal statutes, as well as ones about the state gun law enacted in July governing where and how gun owners may carry or transport their firearms. However, he said the officers will try to answer any and all questions.The program, Coffee with a Cop, is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Similar events are being held in precincts across the country, including two others in Alabama, Beams said.“We are trying to develop a more relaxed relationship and a strong relationship with the community,” he said.The planning of future Coffee with a Cop events hinges on the success of the Sept. 30 event. If successful, Beams said, the event will become more regular and involve the rest of the department. He said he is hopeful the event will give the public a glimpse into the department's more approachable side, which is unseen in emergencies.“We want to tear down those barriers,” he said.City Councilman Kip Tyner said he believes the program could benefit the entire community.“Most times when you meet police, it's not under good circumstances,” he said. “This could lead to a better understanding.”Beams said he thinks the precinct's relationship is good, but there's room for improvement.“I just think we're just ready to move to the next level where we are more open,” he said.He said the department is trying to reach out to the community with other initiatives. In particular, the department plans to send an officer to one of three local elementary schools every month. “They might read stories to the class, have a show-and-tell with the canine unit; whatever the teachers and headmaster want us to do,” he said. “Whatever we can do for them to see us in a different light.”Beams said he wants to remind the public that police officers are part of the community as well.“We are dads, brothers, moms, sisters,” he said. “We are just like everyone else.”